are thought to play a role. Men and women take on different roles in regards to leadership. Men tend to be thought of as leaders more often than women are, and when women are leaders, they are responded to harshly, not given the same consideration that a male leader is given. When men are leaders, they take on a more autocratic role- they do not want their followers to participate in decision-making; women, however assume to take on a more democratic role- they encourage input from the whole group. Perhaps the difference in leadership styles can be attributed to the fact that women leaders are looked down upon, so to not look as "harsh," they take a more tentative approach to leadership. In our text, Donelson talks about the different "selves" in relation to gender. Gilligan states that women are more likely to have a connected self than men because they are nervous about accomplishments that can hinder or "threaten affiliation (316)." On the other hand, Gilligan states, men are more likely than women to have a separate self because they are nervous about "affiliation that can threaten their separatedness (316)."I personally feel that women leaders are just as connected with themselves as the women who would be described as empathetic and nurturing. Further, women can not only take on a leadership role, but also maintain with empathetic and nurturing sides as women who are not. Women are looked down upon when taking a leadership position, and hence have a tendency to forgo an instrumental orientation, instead supplying their leadership capabilities with a more communal role. Even though leadership roles are generally considered a "man's" position, women have the ability to take on that role and promote themselves just as well as men can without abandoning their empathetic and nurturing sides.My mother is a prime example of a woman who maintained a connected self and assumed an aggressive leadership role. She served on the ci...
